What is holding Columbia back? (Charleston, Greenville: hotel, neighborhoods, university)

[ColumbiaSucks]

What is holding Columbia back from reaching the vibrant city that Greenville and Charleston has become?

[mettler]

I, personally, think it is the flag, but I couldn't vote on that

[g-man430]

I thought Columbia was a vibrant city like Greenville and Charleston. They have a major university, Vista, Five Points, largest state's zoo, largest children's museum in the southeast, etc.

[michakaveli]

Bring some big business to downtown. i.e. BofA and Wachovia in Charlotte.....

[motonenterprises]

Haven't been to Columbia in a while.

[ColumbiaSucks]

Originally Posted by g-man430

I thought Columbia was a vibrant city like Greenville and Charleston. They have a major university, Vista, Five Points, largest state's zoo, largest children's museum in the southeast, etc.

Columbia does have alot going for it but like downtown for instance has the college atmosphere but also a high chance of being mugged. Downtown Greenville I could walk by myself and not fear for gangs. Also the roadways in Columbia are overgrown with weeds and are eyesores. Why cant Columbia have trees and plants along their interstates instead of trash. There are rebel flags throughout the city like it is a big hick town and the cities main roads (Broad River and Bush River) are ghetto. This city has so much more potential if this would be addressed. I moved to Aiken after I took a job on the west side of Columbia so I can enjoy a senic historic city. The good news is I will be moving to Athens in September so i will atleast enjoy a vibrant city without these problems. By the way I am a DAWG fan so that will save me the two hour trip during football season. Columbia needs to connect the college district with downtown and clean up the Broad River rd, Two Notch Rd area and their historic neighborhoods before it is too late.

[motonenterprises]

The leadership helps make a city.

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by ColumbiaSucks

Columbia does have alot going for it but like downtown for instance has the college atmosphere but also a high chance of being mugged. Downtown Greenville I could walk by myself and not fear for gangs. Also the roadways in Columbia are overgrown with weeds and are eyesores. Why cant Columbia have trees and plants along their interstates instead of trash. There are rebel flags throughout the city like it is a big hick town and the cities main roads (Broad River and Bush River) are ghetto. This city has so much more potential if this would be addressed. I moved to Aiken after I took a job on the west side of Columbia so I can enjoy a senic historic city. The good news is I will be moving to Athens in September so i will atleast enjoy a vibrant city without these problems. By the way I am a DAWG fan so that will save me the two hour trip during football season. Columbia needs to connect the college district with downtown and clean up the Broad River rd, Two Notch Rd area and their historic neighborhoods before it is too late.

From the most recent stats I've seen, downtown is probably the safest part of the entire city, so I'm not sure where the "muggings" and "gangs" is coming from. As with anyplace, do all you can to take the necessary precautions to ensure that you won't become a victim of crime.

As far as the interstates go, I hope you realize that the city doesn't have any jurisdiction there; call SCDOT on that one. And it's not a problem that's unique to Columbia, either.

Rebel flags throughout the city? Cayce, yes; the Statehouse grounds, we know. Other than that, I haven't noticed a plethora of Confederate flags flying throughout the city.

Broad River and Bush River are only two of several major thoroughfares in Columbia. Now I will agree that Bush River Road needs some major TLC. Broad River is so-so. All cities have roads like this, and I don't see Columbia's major thoroughfares suffering any more neglect than those of other cities. Most of Columbia's major arteries are average, just like you would see in any other city.

I agree wholeheartedly with you about connnecting all of the different districts downtown. A master plan needs to be drawn up that makes this a major focus.

You spoke about Two Notch being spruced up. Two Notch, closer to town going towards Benedict College, has already undergone a streetscaping which has done much to improve the aesthetics of the road in that particular area.

Outer-ring suburbs are quite interesting in their life cycles, no matter what city they may be located in.

Regarding the original question, it's not that Columbia isn't vibrant; it's just that its nodes of activity are spaced out, whereas in Greenville and Charleston, they are a bit more compact. It's going to take a while to connect Five Points with Main and the Vista, but connecting Main Street and the Vista is much more doable in the short run. However, Mayor Coble has already said that the one thing that will go farther than anything in ensuring that these two nodes get connected, streetscaping and overhauling Assembly, won't be happening anytime soon. Unfortunately, that's a byproduct of a lack of visionary leadership in this regard. Columbia is only rather recently awakening to its potential after years of being complacent, so you've got to take that history into account. Within the past few years, a lot of things have come about that were only plans on paper a few years ago (Canalside, convention center, Hilton convention hotel, etcl), so progress is definitely being made.